Repurposing Tobacco Tins

[Schmitz Bitz]

I am sure that I am not alone in having a rather large collection of empty tobacco tins. Any lids from flat tins that have 'fancy' tin art (or are old/rare) go into shadow-boxes for display in my den; while the McClelland/C&D type tins have their labels removed and used to decorate random unadorned things (IE: decopaged to the ammo crates I use for cellar storage). In addition, the larger McC and C&D tins have found use holding various bits of crap I can't bear to toss (random screws, batteries and buttons); and for holding any garbage I don't want exposed - such as used pipe-cleaners and used razor-blades (ok, carts - I made the jump from Fusion to Straight).
Last night, I had something of an epiphany. On the way home from work, I stopped by the local House of Knives and picked up a puck each of Col. Conk Bay Rum, Almond, Amber and Lime. Originally, I intended to melt these into 500ml mason-jars; thinking that the size and the lid would make them perfect recepticles. But as I dug for my empty jars, my eyes lit upon a box of old flat metal tins. These seem to me to be the perfect solution for storing my shaving soaps - they don't take up much room and stack well and the seal isn't atrocious. And, more importantly, I have hundreds of them...

Can you guys think of any reason why I shouldn't use these for my soaps? My plan is to melt the pucks in a double-boiler and pour them into the empty tins. I know the sides are a bit low in comparison to a mug, but I don't build lather on the soap anyway (I use a bowl).

 

[Commander Quan]

Brilliant!

 

[tattooed]

Brilliant!

indeed, good idea.

 

[Kentos]

My only concern would be if it rusts. Are they coated in rustproofing

 

[Commander Quan]

They're aluminum so i would't think rust would bee too much of an issue.

Since the SG tins have interesting art I've thought of taking them and making belt buckles out of the tins, but thinking about it is as far as it's gone.

 

[Kentos]

Shoots, I thought the OP was talking about the FVF type cans.

 

[Schmitz Bitz]

I'm thinking more the screw-tops like Dunhill EMP, Presbyterian, MacBaren HH Vintage Syrian, Balkan Sasieni, etc. I find that the squared tins usually end up somewhat deformed by the time I get the lid off and will rarely close again.

 

[Kentos]

Ah, well my round Balkan and Escudo tins are steel so maybe test one for anti rust properties before you melt all your stash into them .

 

[Argonaut]

Used razor blade banks. They take a while to fill, so I have good supply.
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[Legion]

When I was a kid in the boy scouts they use to give us pipe tobacco tins, to keep in our top pockets with our first aid kit in.